CHS Inc. has reported a net income of $347.1 million for the first quarter of fiscal 2019. “Our strong first quarter results position us well as we start our 2019 fiscal year,” said Jay Debertin, CHS president and chief executive officer. “We are focused on making CHS our customers’ first choice by advancing our technology solutions and equipping employees to meet the changing needs of our customers around the world. We will do this while maintaining financial discipline and rigor.”

The $5.1 million increase in Ag pretax earnings was
driven by the following:

Improved pricing within the company’s crop
nutrients and processing and food ingredients businesses and volume increases
within grain and processing.

NITROGEN
PRODUCTION

The $18.0 million increase in Nitrogen Production pretax
earnings reflects the following:

Improved margins within the Nitrogen Production
business driven by increased sales prices of urea and UAN, which are produced
and sold by CF Nitrogen.

CORPORATE AND
OTHER

The $24.3 million increase in Corporate and Other pretax
earnings reflects the following:

Higher earnings from the company’s investments
in Ventura Foods, LLC and Ardent Mills, LLC as well as increased interest
revenue from the company’s financing business.

In late December 2018, CHS, a 25 percent owner of West
Central Distribution, exercised its option to purchase the remaining 75 percent
of the respected crop protection distribution company and is in the process of
completing due diligence and satisfying regulatory, legal and other
requirements.